Experts: 'King' Ferguson may be out but brand Manchester United will survive

By Oliver Joy, CNN

Updated 3:50 AM ET, Mon May 13, 2013

In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson25 photos

In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson – Alex Ferguson has announced he is retiring at the end of this season, having won his 13th English Premier League title in more than 26 years as manager of Manchester United.

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In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson25 photos

In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson – The 71-year-old is the most successful and longest-serving manager in United's history, having also won two European Champions League crowns, five FA Cups and four League Cups.

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In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson25 photos

In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson – Ferguson survived a difficult first four years at Manchester United before winning a title -- the 1990 FA Cup. Here he celebrates with Bryan Robson, who became the first United captain to lift the trophy three times after beating Crystal Palace 1-0 in the final replay.

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In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson25 photos

In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson – Ferguson lifted the European Cup Winners' Cup for the second time in his career in 1991, when United beat Barcelona 2-1 in the final. He had previously won the now defunct tournament with Scottish club Aberdeen.

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In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson25 photos

In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson – In 1993, United won the English title for the first time in 26 years, and Ferguson took the club on a tour of South Africa, where he met Nelson Mandela before the ANC leader became the country's first post-apartheid president.

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In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson25 photos

In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson – Ferguson celebrates with his assistant Brian Kidd after United won the Premiership again in 1994, then went on to secure a domestic double by beating Chelsea in the FA Cup final. United repeated the feat in 1996.

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In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson25 photos

In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson – Ferguson with his grandson Jake before the 1999 FA Cup final victory against Newcastle that sealed United's third double in six years.

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In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson25 photos

In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson – Just four days later, United completed a treble with an incredible last-gasp win over Bayern Munich in the Champions League final. Ferguson and keeper Peter Schmeichel hold the trophy in Barcelona.

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In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson25 photos

In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson – Ferguson tried to retire more than a decade ago, announcing at the start of the 2001-02 season that it would be his last. However, he changed his mind the following February but United failed to reach the Champions League final -- which was to be played in his native Glasgow.

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In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson25 photos

In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson – Another European title followed in 2008, but Barcelona handed United disappointment in the 2009 and 2011 finals. However, Ferguson and his players still earned a parade the latter season after winning a record 19th English league title -- the Scot's 12th.

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In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson25 photos

In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson – The next season, United commemorated Ferguson's 25 years as manager on November 5, 2011.

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In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson25 photos

In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson – As a player, Ferguson was a prolific goalscorer for Scottish clubs St. Johnstone and Dunfermline, but his big move to Glasgow Rangers in 1967 proved disappointing and he left two years later. He ended his playing days at Ayr in 1974 without winning a major honor.

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In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson25 photos

In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson – Ferguson made his name as a manager at Aberdeen. His fourth Scottish Cup win in 1986 was his last success with the Dons, having won three Scottish league titles and the 1983 European Cup Winners' Cup -- beating mighty Real Madrid in the final.

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In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson25 photos

In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson – Ferguson, who briefly managed Scotland at the 1986 World Cup, overhauled the squad at Old Trafford and introduced some of the finest players to grace the EPL in the past two decades.

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In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson25 photos

In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson – Arguably the most important signing was that of French forward Eric Cantona, a $1.9 million bargain from Leeds who led United's surge to dominance in the 1990s.

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In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson25 photos

In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson – The 1993 addition of young midfielder Roy Keane in a then British record transfer fee of £3.75 million from Nottingham Forest provided United with a ferocious future captain.

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In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson25 photos

In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson – Ferguson also introduced young talent such as David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and the Neville brothers Gary and Phil -- who all went on to become integral members of his team.

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In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson25 photos

In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson – Ferguson played a key role in resurrecting the career of Beckham, who had been vilified by England fans after being sent off during the 1998 World Cup defeat by Argentina.

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In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson25 photos

In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson – Ferguson famously beat United's rivals Manchester City to sign Giggs as a teenager, and the Welsh winger has repaid his faith by staying with the club until the present day.

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In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson25 photos

In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson – Ferguson's signing of Cristiano Ronaldo in 2003 paid off as the Portugal forward fired United to Champions League glory in 2008 and was named world player of the year -- the first from the EPL to do so -- before joining Real Madrid in a record $130 million deal.

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In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson25 photos

In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson – Ferguson is well known for his fiery temper and his motivational skills.

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In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson25 photos

In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson – In 2003, he infamously kicked a boot into the face of Beckham in the dressing room after a match, but refused to apologize. "If I'd tried it 100 times or million times, it wouldn't happen again," he said. "If it did, I would carry on playing."

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In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson25 photos

In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson – United striker Wayne Rooney said Ferguson's team talk ahead of the 2008 Champions League final against Chelsea in Moscow "made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up." United denied the London side a first European title after a penalty shootout.

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In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson25 photos

In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson – United reached the final again the following season, but lost to Barcelona. Here Ferguson speaks with Britain's Prince William at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy.

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In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson25 photos

In pictures: The reign of Alex Ferguson – Ferguson's last match on the European stage was a defeat by Ronaldo's Real Madrid in the Champions League Round of 16 second-leg match at Old Trafford on March 5, 2013.

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Story highlights

Experts: 'King' Alex Ferguson may be going but brand Manchester United will survive

Under Ferguson the team won more than 30 trophies, including 13 league championships

But the football team is bigger than just one man, brand experts tell CNN

Ferguson's retirement has already sparked speculation over his successor

"King" Alex Ferguson is quitting Manchester United but the football team's $3.17 billion brand will survive, according to experts.

And while brand expert Jonathan Gabay believes there will be a period of uncertainty at the club following the exit of a "living legend," the "Brand Manchester United" will survive long after his reign.

Photos: Longest-serving coaches in sports 9 photos

Photos: Longest-serving coaches in sports9 photos

Longest-serving coaches in sports – Manchester United Manager Sir Alex Ferguson announced he will retire at the end of the English Premier League season. Ferguson has managed the team for 26 years, making him the longest-serving manager in Premier League history.

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Photos: Longest-serving coaches in sports9 photos

Longest-serving coaches in sports – Mike Krzyzewski, also known as Coach K, has coached Duke University's men's basketball team since 1980, putting him in his 33rd season as head coach.

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Photos: Longest-serving coaches in sports9 photos

Longest-serving coaches in sports – Eddie Robinson served as Grambling State University's head football coach for 57 seasons from 1941 to 1997. Robinson -- here listening to the national anthem before his final game -- coached more than 4,000 players.

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Photos: Longest-serving coaches in sports9 photos

Longest-serving coaches in sports – Al Arbour coached the New York Islanders for 20 years, with a year-long stint as vice president of player development for the team in 1987.

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Photos: Longest-serving coaches in sports9 photos

Longest-serving coaches in sports – Andy Landers has coached the University of Georgia Lady Bulldogs basketball team since 1979 and continues to this day.

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Photos: Longest-serving coaches in sports9 photos

Photos: Longest-serving coaches in sports – Head coach emeritus Pat Summitt of the Tennessee Lady Volunteers is the all-time winningest coach in NCAA history of either men's or women's teams. She coached for 38 years before stepping down in 2012 to fight early onset dementia.

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Photos: Longest-serving coaches in sports9 photos

Longest-serving coaches in sports – Gregg Popovich is in his 17th year as coach of the San Antonio Spurs.

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Photos: Longest-serving coaches in sports9 photos

Longest-serving coaches in sports – Tom Landry coached the Dallas Cowboys from 1960 to 1988 and turned the team into one of the most dominant in the National Football League until the early '80s.

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Photos: Longest-serving coaches in sports9 photos

Longest-serving coaches in sports – Connie Mack managed the Philadelphia Athletics, now based in Oakland, California, from 1901 until his retirement at age 88 in 1950.

Andre Spicer, a professor of Organizational Behavior at the Cass Business School in London, said the loss of a "great leader" such as Ferguson is similar to "enduring a death" for a company.

Ferguson's retirement has already sparked a media and fan frenzy of speculation over his successor. Spicer added that fans will idealize the achievements of Ferguson and as such "it becomes impossible for a successor to fill the old leader's shoes."

The Scot's decision to retire and the appointment of his successor could also have a significant impact on the club financially

Since the first season of the English Premier League in 1992/3 season, Manchester United's revenue has grown from £25.2 million to £320.3 million for the 2011/12 season. "Manchester United has been transformed as a football club under the management of Sir Alex Ferguson," according to Dan Jones, partner in the Sports Business Group at Deloitte.

While Andy Milligan, a partner at business consultancy, Caffeine, and author of football business book "Brand it Like Beckham," said that club owners, the Glazers, may go into "overdrive" in the next 24 hours to reassure global stakeholders that the club's stability, on the pitch, is not at risk.

Milligan said Manchester United's next appointment may be as much about reassuring investors outside the U.K. as it will be for sporting reasons.

Milligan told CNN: "Football is a very volatile market place. But if you add U.S. stock market pressures to football; it could be an explosive mix."

Manchester United's American owners, the Glaziers, listed the soccer club on the New York Stock Exchange in August and its growing commercial success is highly dependent on performances on the pitch, according to Joshua Raymond, a market strategist at London-based financial services firm, CityIndex.

"Replacing Alex Ferguson is a monumental task and one that shareholders will watch with great interest and nervous uncertainty," he said in a note on the firm's website.

Raymond wrote that the appointment of Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho would be "a much safer appointment in the eyes of the United board and shareholders" while the appointment of Everton manager and bookmakers favorite, David Moyes, would "come with great risk" due to his lack of experience with big clubs.

In his note, Raymond went on to say that Mourinho would be the only appointment that could increase the club's brand recognition.

Manchester United is one of the world's most valuable clubs -- second only to Spanish giants Real Madrid -- according to a study by financial experts, Forbes.

The club, who have just claimed their 20th league title, reported a 52.2% increase in sponsorship revenue having announced new deals with two financial services providers in Denmark and Vietnam as well as an agreement with a Japanese social gaming company.